General Assembly's 2008 session adjourns
FRANKFORT -- State lawmakers have adjourned "sine die," bringing the Kentucky General Assembly's 2008 session to a close.
Over the course of this year's 60-day legislative session, lawmakers considered more than 1,000 bills. More than 150 of those bills were approved and sent to the governor, including the budget bill that will guide state spending over the next two years.
A sampling of some of the legislation approved during this year's session follows:
Adventure Tourism. Senate Bill 196 will boost the state's adventure tourism industry by allowing the state to enter into agreements with private property owners for the use of their land for recreational activities. The agreements would allow property owners to permit public use of the land without facing the liability issues they otherwise would.
Agriculture. SB 242 will establish a training fund to improve, promote, protect and support Kentucky's beekeeping industry. Supporters of the bill note that bee colonies play a key role in the state's agricultural industry by helping to pollinate crops.
Alcohol vaporizers. House Bill 202 will ban the sale, purchase or use of alcohol vaporizing devices, which can be used to inhale intoxicating fumes of alcohol.
Alternative teacher certification. SB 64 will create incentives to help train those with math and science degrees who want to become certified to teach, as well as help teachers in other fields become re-certified in math and science.
Amusement park safety. SB 203 will require more frequent inspections of amusement park rides and prevent anyone under 18 from operating the rides.
Animal cruelty. SB 58 will increase penalties for those who torture dogs or cats. Causing physical injury to a dog or cat as a result of torture would be a Class A misdemeanor that carries up to a year in jail, while causing serious physical injury or death would be a Class D felony punishable by 1-5 years in prison. Currently, all torture cases involving a dog or cat are Class A misdemeanors for a first offense.
Blood donations. HB 139 will allow 16-year-olds who weigh at least 110 pounds to donate blood with written parental or legal guardian consent. The bill was crafted to help address blood shortages.
Booster Seats. SB 120 will require young children who are too big for infant car seats to be placed in booster seats when riding in vehicles. The bill states that children under 7 years old and between 40-50 inches tall must use the boosters.
Bullying. HB 91 will require the state Department of Education to craft discipline guidelines. The bill will also require local school authorities to alert law enforcement when school harassment involves a potential felony. Yearly reports on school harassment will be made to the Department of Education and the Legislature.
Cancer. SB 98 will provide Medicaid coverage for breast and cervical cancer treatments for uninsured women. SB 96 will require insurers to cover colorectal cancer screenings, in accordance with guidelines of the American Cancer Society.
Clean waterways. HB 717 will create watershed authorities to restore and improve streams around the Commonwealth. The authorities will select cleanup projects and will help leverage more money for these efforts through various grants and programs.
Criminal justice. HB 683 allows the state Parole Board to review the cases of Class C felons without a hearing, allows for GPS tracking technology for home incarceration cases, and mandates DNA collection from all felons as well as violent juvenile offenders.
Early voting. HB 479 will give citizens greater access to the voting process by allowing them to request absentee ballot applications via email. The bill also allows members of the military to return unused absentee ballots and still be allowed to vote on Election Day.
Elections. HB 370 will erase the requirement that runoff elections be held in gubernatorial primary races if no candidate receives at least 40 percent of the vote.
Energy consumption. HB 2 creates incentives for homeowners to use solar and wind energy, and to use other energy-efficient lights, windows, and insulation. The bill also requires state government and local schools to build and lease energy-efficient buildings, and establishes a low-interest loan program to help businesses and public agencies become more energy efficient.
Gas theft. SB 136 will give gas station operators a way to collect payments from people who drive off without paying for fuel. The bill outlines specific civil liability and related procedures for financial recovery after fuel theft without immediately going to court.
Holocaust education. House Joint Resolution 6 will require the Department of Education to develop a curriculum guide for schools that may be used to teach about the Holocaust as example of genocide.
Kentucky products. HB 484 will promote use of locally-grown produce and other food products by public postsecondary institutions. If colleges and universities use a vendor or food service, the legislation encourages them to use food produced in Kentucky.
Math and science incentives. SB 2 will offer incentives to increase the number of students taking advanced math and science courses in Kentucky. Incentives would be provided from a science and mathematics advancement fund aimed at improving students' math and science knowledge from elementary school through college.
Merit scholarships. SB 75 will allow students with 2.5 GPAs who are on track to graduate from college to keep their full KEES scholarship money each semester. Currently, students with GPAs above 2.5 but below 3.0 only receive half their award.
Military. HB 168 will allow active duty military serving outside the state up to 90 days to renew their driver's licenses after returning to Kentucky. They could not be cited for driving without a license during that period.
Penal code. Senate Joint Resolution 80 calls for a legislative subcommittee to undertake a review of the state penal code. The legislation would require the Legislature's Judiciary Committee to appoint a Penal Code Study Subcommittee, upon approval of General Assembly leadership. The subcommittee would be responsible for thoroughly reviewing the state's penal code and finding ways to redraft and modernize it.
Sex offenders. HB 211 will broaden Kentucky's child sex abuse laws while increasing penalties for abusers and those who fail to report abuse. The bill will include older children under state laws that protect minors from first-degree sexual abuse by raising the age of children covered by the law from 12 to 16, or 16 to 18, if the perpetrator is in a position of trust or authority.
Trauma care. HB 371 seeks to create a statewide trauma care program in the Department of public health. The bill also establishes an advisory commission and registry of trauma incidents.
Water and sewer projects. HB 608 contains line-item water and sewer projects for coal and non-coal counties in Kentucky. Funding for projects in non-coal counties will come from $150 million in bonds derived from the state's master tobacco settlement dollars, while funding for coal county projects will come from $75 million in bonds paid with coal severance revenue.
